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Meet the HOK people behind the projectsTue, 03 Mar 2015 22:17:31 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.2ARTIC Grand Openinghttp://www.hoklife.com/2015/01/23/artic-grand-opening/
http://www.hoklife.com/2015/01/23/artic-grand-opening/#commentsFri, 23 Jan 2015 23:16:00 +0000http://www.hoklife.com/?p=345962014 was a fantastic year for me. My architecture fraternity, Alpha Rho Chi, celebrated 100 years of existence, I became a California licensed architect, and I finished my first building, the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), from start to finish with the VIP Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Monday, Dec. 8 and the General Public Grand Opening on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014.

While it was awesome to hear from the VIPs and the public that they thought the building was amazingly beautiful, that ARTIC achieved the iconic status they were looking for, that the project came in on time and on budget, that CA high speed rail was breaking ground in the next few days, and how grateful the City of Anaheim was, I couldn’t help but think about all the work that went into ARTIC. And that it was after all a HUGE group effort. Having this photo published in ENR is something everyone involved with the project can be proud of.

(And since Academy Awards is coming up…) I would like to acknowledge and thank all of the people I had a pleasure working with on this project during construction, the collective team helped make this project come alive from paper to reality…

Design – HOK – Design Principal – Ernest Cirangle, Project Manager – Albert Kaneshiro, Project Architect – Kazem Toossi, Spec writer – Terry Mattison who has been with HOK for over 50 years, our wonderful interior designers Barbara Ostroff and Stephanie Kotowski, and to the person who taught me the most and worked with me on a daily basis on this project, Hector Ayala.

Anyways, it has been about a month since ARTIC wound down for me. And while there are a few things left for me to do on the project, including submitting to USGBC where we are still anticipating LEED Platinum status, I feel like a pound puppy trying to readjust to a new home while looking forward to a new year and new challenges. So here’s to 2015!

Pedro Pesantes will be showcasing some of his work at the Dallas AIA Enlaces exhibition this year and we are very excited about this opportunity! The pictures attached are a small version of the presentation board. This showcased four of his favorite personal projects that he did while at SCAD. The numbers on the pictures represent his experience level so No. 1 is during his first years while No. 4 is his thesis project.

The construction of the terminal expansion at Bangalore’s Kempegowda International Airport was completed earlier this year, doubling the terminal capacity but at the same time retaining most of the existing terminal building and preserving facility assets. A new, elegantly curved roof unifies the expanded terminal, giving the airport a completely new visual identity.

Kempegowda International Airport – Bangalore, India

We also just completed design of the midfield satellite concourse at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. The new concourse adds capacity for 15 million annual passengers and has dedicated A380 gates. The design relates to the existing terminal through the rhythm of its curved arched windows and has elements that reflect Thai culture.

Suvarnabhumi International Airport – Bangkok, Thailand

What’s your outlook on the Asian aviation market and how does HOK fit in?

Demand in the Asian aviation market continues its upward trend, increasing the need for expanded or new airport facilities. As airports continue to grow, airport owners, operators and airlines are focusing on optimizing customer service to stay competitive. The challenge for design firms is to design “customer-friendly” airports in one of the most culturally rich and diverse regions of the world.

We have a wide range of expertise and service offerings that cover multiple disciplines, building types and markets. We bring diversity in our designers’ cultural background as well as experience in designing and delivering customer-friendly airports. Our design teams are knowledgeable of regional requirements and able to synthesize them into innovative design ideas to elevate the passenger experience.

Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3 – New Delhi, India

What do you enjoy about aviation and transportation projects?

At an early age, I was already fascinated by airplanes. I often drew airplanes with crayons and dreamed of being a pilot. At the same time, I grew up surrounded by architects and engineers. Through their influence and my own interests in art and science I steered towards architecture. It’s interesting to reflect and realize that my career path (or flight path) eventually circled back and touched my childhood interests in aviation.

I love being a part of creating a building that connects people to planes and to the sky. Perhaps it’s the excitement of flying and speed, or the romantic notions of air travel that I inherently find attractive.

My daughter seems to have picked up on it. On a recent family trip that included travel on planes, trains, ferries and cars, she kept saying, “Let’s go, let’s go!”

]]>http://www.hoklife.com/2014/07/31/qa-with-keith-hui-hok-director-of-aviation-transportation-in-asia-pacific/feed/1buildingSMART Team Published in NIBS Journalhttp://www.hoklife.com/2014/06/16/buildingsmart-team-published-in-nibs-journal/
http://www.hoklife.com/2014/06/16/buildingsmart-team-published-in-nibs-journal/#commentsMon, 16 Jun 2014 19:10:58 +0000http://www.hoklife.com/?p=32891I’m proud to announce the publication of not just one, but TWO articles in the Journal of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) by members of the HOK buildingSMART team!! Greg Schleusner and I had submitted abstracts for articles that focused on real world issues that have the potential to transform how the building industry uses BIM data for collaboration.

My article is titled “Understanding the Value and Use of Level of Development,” which provides an overview of the concept of model reliability with the LOD Specification. I have written about this subject frequently on the All Things BIM blog as well as HOK BIM Solutions. This publication brings the LOD discussion to an entirely new audience.

]]>http://www.hoklife.com/2014/06/16/buildingsmart-team-published-in-nibs-journal/feed/0HOK Chairman Emeritus Bill Valentine Featured in Interiors & Sources Interviewhttp://www.hoklife.com/2014/05/19/hok-chairman-emeritus-bill-valentine-featured-in-interiors-sources-interview/
http://www.hoklife.com/2014/05/19/hok-chairman-emeritus-bill-valentine-featured-in-interiors-sources-interview/#commentsMon, 19 May 2014 15:36:32 +0000http://www.hoklife.com/?p=32711As part of its 30th anniversary, the magazine invited some of the notable designers that it has profiled through the years to reflect on their personal journeys since then and talk about how they feel about design today—and tomorrow.

HOK Chairman Emeritus Bill Valentine, FAIA, retired in 2012 after 50 years as a design leader at HOK. Today, he lives in Mill Valley, Calif., and continues to consult on design projects with HOK.

In our 2003 cover story, you had said, “Architecture, in its best light, is a social instrument about how you can make the living condition better. And, so, that’s what I see for us in the future.” Do you still see architecture in this light, and is this still a notion that drives the work at HOK?Yes, overwhelmingly. I see architecture in this light even more so today. Improving the living condition remains the highest purpose for architecture and still drives our work at HOK.

What topics or ideas interest you most these days?At the top of my list would be two intertwined ideas: sustainability and zero carbon emissions. Architects have a social responsibility to reduce the carbon used by our built environment. There is a fair amount of discussion about achieving zero carbon but not enough progress. Renovating existing buildings to achieve zero carbon emissions would be the gold standard.

How has design changed, in your opinion, since we last spoke? Do you see that as a good or a bad thing?Design has changed for the better. There is an increased interest in efficiency and sustainability. The cost of sustainable technologies like solar panels is going down and the political climate is much more accommodating. LEED Gold certified buildings are almost pro forma. Compare this to a decade ago when people said, “What’s LEED?”

Planners and designers are revitalizing urban areas and densifying suburbia. There is more emphasis on creating compact, walkable communities where people can live, work and connect. With the needle moving in the right direction on so many fronts, I am quite optimistic about the built environment.

What advice do you have for designers on their way up?Approach design from a social perspective. Instead of designing to create something splashy, ask yourself how the design can help people. You have an opportunity for your work to be germane and helpful. Our society has a crying need for this type of design and, in my experience, it also is good for business.

The event brought together industry professionals for a night of live music and talent pooled from some of the city’s most prominent firms, HOK included!

Jenny Hyatt, Gordon Stratford, Jozef Pilasanovic and Dean Macapagal braved the stage to entertain their peers and coworkers, with many other HOK team members in attendance to cheer them on.

Jozef as frontman!

Jozef Pilasanovic, an associate in retail and hospitality, participated in his second Eco Jam this year. “It’s a great cause, it’s fun, and we’ve participated in similar events in the past,” he says.

Jenny on vocals.

Musicians of all levels of experience sign up to participate, then bandmates are randomly assigned – creating an opportunity to get to know and collaborate with others in the industry. Bands stuck to the classics during their two song sets – performing favourites such as The Beatle’s “While my Guitar Gently Weeps” and “That’s Alright Mama” by Elvis Presley.

Gordon in front on lead vocals with Dean accompanying him on the acoustic-electric guitar!

Architects and contractors “are all in this together,” said Patrick MacLeamy, FAIA. “The building industry has suffered because we don’t work together. We are now learning how to do that with BIM.”

MacLeamy provided a brief history of BIM, described what’s new at buildingSMART and explained the meaning behind ‘BIM, BAM, BOOM!’

“We can save enough money during the lifetime of a building to pay for the design and construction with great ease,” he said. “That’s the real promise of BIM: the efficiency we can garner if we just work together as partners.”

]]>http://www.hoklife.com/2014/04/28/hoks-patrick-macleamy-delivers-keynote-at-bimforum-bim-bam-boom/feed/0ARTIC Topping Out Ceremonyhttp://www.hoklife.com/2014/04/18/artic-topping-out-ceremony/
http://www.hoklife.com/2014/04/18/artic-topping-out-ceremony/#commentsFri, 18 Apr 2014 19:45:45 +0000http://www.hoklife.com/?p=32378“Why do you want to become an architect?”

This was the question asked by my first year professor at USC on the very first day of studio.

My answer?

“To see my ideas turn into reality. To have sense of pride knowing that I helped create something that has a lasting effect on others. To see a building come to life from beginning of design to end of construction.”

Well this February (I know… it’s a little late), I really really developed that sense of pride when my project, ARTIC, crossed a major milestone – the last piece of steel was placed on my project.

It has been a long journey. It was a lot of hard work, a lot of late nights, quite a few of weekends. It was something I asked to be involved with. I wanted to be on it from beginning to the end. But there definitely were many times I questioned what did I get myself into and why I am still in this profession.

But I’m glad I get to see this project through.

Because it’s pretty impressive so far, both in stature and stats.

Beck Steel started mocking up and working with the diagrid pipe in September of 2012, right after the Groundbreaking.

The first mockup was complete in their shop at the end of October 2012. They worked on understanding the nature and characteristics of this type of steel pipe for a solid year before the first piece was shipped to ARTIC in October 2013. 6 weeks after that, full arches were being erected on the building. And four months later, the diagrid was complete – with the highest arch at 120′ from the ground!

In total, there is over 2100 tons of structural steel on the project. 500 tons of which is in the diagrid structure.

There is over 1.5 miles of weld in the diagrid structure alone!

As of the Topping Out party, there has been over 10,000 yards of concrete placed in the Terminal Building and Platforms by Conco.

ARTIC also reused over 15,000 tons of concrete and asphalt on the site, diverting it from landfills – that’s about 99%! This was the tonnage of everything that Clark demoed prior to the start of construction, putting us that much closer to the LEED Platinum goal.

But aside from these amazing facts, it doesn’t look half bad either! I am still amazed at how much it looks like the renderings right now!

And while I probably will be complaining and whining and challenging my attention span for the next year until ARTIC is all done, it would be all worth it. If I don’t get to post updates, you can see the progress online!

And I hope all of you reading will get to enjoy my work the next time you take the public transportation to Anaheim for a fun day at Disneyland, a baseball game at Angel’s Stadium, a conference at the Anaheim Convention Center, a Duck’s game at the Honda Center, or anywhere else in the ARTIC region.

Alan Bright, FAIA, design principal in HOK’s San Francisco office, has been elevated to the prestigious College of Fellows by the American Institute of Architects 2014 Jury of Fellows. According to the AIA, the Fellowship program “honors architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession.” Alan becomes one of only about 3,000 members of the 80,000 AIA members to receive this honor.

Since joining HOK in 1984, Alan has dedicated his career to transforming the design of justice facilities, aviation, healthcare, civic, commercial and science and technology facilities.

“Alan Bright is improving the practice of architecture by leading teams through an integrated design process that creates high-performance, sustainable, affordable and beautiful buildings,” said HOK Chairman Emeritus Bill Valentine, FAIA.

As a long-time advocate for the “power of less” and social and environmental responsibility, Alan has pioneered a design process that minimizes square footage, materials, waste and costs. His work serves as a national model for integrating all systems to create the simplest, most cost effective and sustainable architecture.

PIONEER OF THE INTEGRATED APPROACH

Alan has led the early adoption of an integrated team process that leads to a high level of quality that is difficult to achieve within the conventional design process.

Alan’s inclusive process frees team members to improve the user experience, sustainability, life-cycle value and aesthetics of a project. He begins each new project by helping all team members define their needs, aspirations and outcomes. Engaging the entire design, engineering and construction team early in the process allows the integrated team to provide clients with information that improves their vision for the project. Going forward, it enables the team, including the client, to make better, more informed and collaborative decisions.

By ensuring that performance-based considerations are integrated with the architecture, Alan’s teams can optimize land use, building size, mechanical and structural systems, energy and water use, operating and construction costs.

Alan steered this project into a near net zero energy, living lab for sustainability and a prototype for socially responsible architecture. By expediting collaboration with the contractor, owner, users, engineering consultants, landscape architects and other consultants, Alan transformed an often inward-focused building type into a naturally illuminated and ventilated, pleasant work environment. For most of the year, the rooftop photovoltaic panels power all the building’s electrical needs.

This innovative lab building earned many national honors, including being named an AIA Committee on the Environment’s Top Ten Green Project and earning Special Mention in R&D Magazine’s Laboratory of the Year competition.

Completed in 2005, the buildings on this 2.5-million-sq-ft. campus achieved LEED Gold and Silver certification. The project won a Highly Integrated Team Approach citation in the AIA California Savings by Design Awards.

Close collaboration between architects, engineers and the client enabled the team to reduce energy consumption by more than 20 percent compared to California’s 1998 Title 24 Standards. The efficient design saved taxpayers more than $10 million in construction costs and millions of dollars in long-term operating costs. The state used this campus as a standard for energy efficiency in subsequent projects.

Advocate for Integrated Teams and Sustainability

Alan spoke as an advocate for the integrated team process in sustainable design at the 2010 and 2013 AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice Conference at a session entitled “Sustainable Justice” and at the fall 2010 West Coast Green Conference. He was an author of Achieving and Sustaining the Green Court, published in 2009 by the National Association for Court Management. For the past five years, he has served on the Board of Visitors for the University of Oregon’s School of Architecture and Allied Arts, where he helps students understand the power of integrated teams to maximize sustainable design.

MOVING THE PROFESSION TOWARD AFFORDABLE NET ZERO

The ultimate expression of the “power of less” is a built environment that results in net zero carbon emissions.

To enable typical developers to achieve affordable net zero carbon emissions in a conventional speculative office building, Alan and HOK launched the Net Zero Court project, an office building prototype. Alan’s integrated team, including a developer, engineers, landscape architects, cost estimators and an energy and daylighting analyst, created a market-rate, zero-emissions design for a Class A, 170,000 SF commercial office building on a real site in St. Louis. The design is 73 percent more energy efficient than an ASHRAE 90.1-2004 benchmark office building and features photovoltaic panels, daylighting and solar hot water.

To help all architects design affordable, marketable net zero carbon and net zero energy buildings, Alan has shared Net Zero Court widely through presentations, lectures and web seminars with participants from around the country. This includes the Pacific Gas & Electric Lecture Series in winter 2011 and the fall 2011 Regenerative Network Forum.